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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: safe · board · pitch · race · bulb · branch · mark · snap

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. race — humankind
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. board — to get on
  6. bulb — for light
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mark — a grade
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. race — the arms race
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. board — a committee
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. race — a contest
  15. branch — a division
  16. bulb — for light
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. pitch — completely
  19. mark — a trace
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. board — a flat piece

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com